The Impact of Leadership Styles on Business Continuity Through the Mediation of Corporate Sustainability

Abstract

This research aimed to explore the role of leadership styles in relation to business continuity and corporate sustainability within the context of Jordanian public manufacturing shareholding companies. Secondly, it also aimed to further understand the mediating role of corporate sustainability in relation to leadership style and its impact on business continuity during the Covid-19 pandemic. This research adopted a quantitative approach using a questionnaire survey of managers based within selected Jordanian public manufacturing shareholding companies. Partial Least Square - Structural Equation Modeling using Smart-PLS was used as an analysis technique. The sampling method was a random convenience sampling technique, and 486 responses were taken for analysis. The findings, testing different hypotheses, indicated that some leaderships styles are more impactful than others in relation to supporting business continuity and corporate sustainability. Autocratic, authoritative, and democratic leadership styles did not meaningfully predict business continuity. In contrast, other styles such as affiliative, laissez-faire, pacesetting, and coaching leadership styles were found to meaningfully predict business continuity. In addition, corporate sustainability and business continuity were demonstrated to be positively associated. An indirect effect of corporate sustainability was found to be statistically significant between affiliative, autocratic, democratic, and laissez-faire leadership styles and business continuity. In contrast, corporate sustainability did not work as a mediator between authoritative, coaching, and pacesetting leadership style and business continuity. This research is the first exploration of the relationship between leadership styles, business continuity, and corporate sustainability during the Covid-19 pandemic in the context of the manufacturing industry in Jordan. It also contributes to the wider literature by providing empirical evidence about business continuity as a critical factor in today's business management environment.